Why sexting? Targeting pupils in the second grade of secondary education, the play depicts possible consequences of sexting, which refers to the action of sending nude or sexual themed photos via social media. The problematic aspect linked to sexting is ‘revenge porn', which can occur if for example a couple breaks up and one partner decides to revenge by publishing explicit pictures of their ex partner.

According to Child Focus, about 8% of young people in Flanders have already sent such an image and about a quarter have received one. "Online privacy is about so much more than a good password or cyber-security," said Heidi De Pauw, CEO of Child Focus. "It's very difficult to take control of or delete a photo once it's in cyberspace." Last year, Child Focus was asked to follow up on 126 cases of sexting gone wrong.

The play focuses mainly on prevention, targeting those who have sent or are considering sending explicit texts, but it also wants to raise awareness among youngsters who receive and the decide to share explicit photos initially addressed only to them. "They have to realise that they are also guilty of negative consequences afterwards," said De Pauw.

Federal secretary of state for privacy Philippe de Backer applauds the initiative, announcing that "we need to focus more on raising awareness than on immediate repressive action".

Find out more about the work of the Belgian Safer Internet Centre, including its awareness raising, helpline, hotline and youth participation services.

Related news

On Wednesday, 23 May, Child Focus, the Belgian Safer Internet Centre, has launched #Vu, a theatre play for schools meant to raise awareness about the risks of sexting. Performed by the Arts Nomades theatre company, the play ‘#Vu' premiered in Brussels in May 2018.

At the RSCA Anderlecht football club youngsters get more than just a sports training. The club attaches great importance to other aspects of their teenager members' lives. One of these aspects is their safety online: as future football stars, knowing how to present oneself online, is key to future success.

In Belgium, Child Focus, Sensoa, Jong & Van Zin, Mediawijs and O'kontreir have joined forces to address the issues surrounding sexting, especially in case of 'sexting gone wrong'. The result? Sexting.be, an online portal for everyone who has questions about sexting.

Child Focus, the safer internet helpline in Belgium, is receiving more and more cases of 'sexting gone wrong' (or secondary sexting).

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website, as explained in our Legal notices. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies from this website. If you would like to change your preferences you may do so by following the instructions here.